Hey Folks!!! So I want to talk about how we view ourselves, after we have experienced a trauma. This has been a trend with my clients, and I feel this is important to understand. Self-worth is the true and genuine belief we have about ourselves — the good, the bad, the ugly.
The dictionary comically defines this as “a feeling that you are a good person who deserves to be treated with respect”. And yeah, I know……….. you as a person already really feels like you are good, and should be treated with respect.
And then, something really — really — bad happens, and now………………..are you bad?……….or did something bad the universe is repaying you for???
Trauma can have a profound effect on our sense of self-worth. When folks experience trauma — and you know if you have experienced trauma, because you are really different from the person you were before— they have feelings of shame and guilt, which makes it difficult for them to feel worthy of love and respect from others. They may find it hard to trust themselves or even believe that they are worthy of good things. They may also struggle with self-doubt and low self-esteem as a result of traumatic experiences. The way folks view themselves after coming through a traumatic experience, it really is deeply impacted. And, it can also lead to some unhealthy coping mechanisms. ….
Having experienced trauma can make it difficult to recognize your own value and potential, especially when struggling to cope with the pain of past experiences.
Plainly put, trauma has a significant impact on our sense of self-worth. Every person who has experienced trauma, their response is unique, and the impact it can have on their sense of self-worth can be minimal or far-reaching. When you experience something that shakes you to your core, you kinda feel like you are “not good enough”, or that you “don't deserve to be happy” and successful — because this thing happened.
Or, because this thing happened, you may feel like you are “not capable” of achieving anything worthwhile.
This can lead to a cycle of negative thinking and behaviors which further erodes self-worth.
Trauma recovery can be an extremely difficult and life-altering. So it is important to acknowledge that change in how you now see yourself. Taking the time to grieve what was lost — maybe even your “self” before the trauma — is a vital part of the healing process. It allows you to move forward in a healthy way. Grieving the “person you were before” can be one of the most difficult - yet vital - steps in that healing process.
Take the time to really honor those emotions and allow yourself to feel what you are going through. By making space for that grief, you give yourself permission to heal, to find yourself worthy, and move forward with life. It is an important step for those who have experienced trauma to minimize the impact trauma has had on their sense of self-worth.
I need to say this though ………this “loss of the self” grief is not something that can be ignored or pushed aside; it must be faced in order to value how strong you are, and move forward on the journey through life.
The ultimate self-worth act!!!
Acknowledging the traumatic experiences and “the loss” of a part of yourself, is an important part of increasing your self-worth.
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